Starting Chemo January 6, 2014

desimone

Hi myr104 - I was told that if I remove my other breast that will decrease my risk by 98% (or get screened every 6 month and I cannot live like that) and actually I would only need to have my ovaries and tubes ( reduces risk in in the 90% range)  taken out but I have fibroids so my gyno recommends everything out that way I have less to worry about.

Hope that helps.

desimone

Hi myr104 - I was told that if I remove my other breast that will decrease my risk by 98% (or get screened every 6 month and I cannot live like that) and actually I would only need to have my ovaries and tubes ( reduces risk in in the 90% range) taken out but I have fibroids so my gyno recommends everything out that way I have less to worry about.

Hope that helps.

Wipa

congrats to all that are done!!!

Had first Taxol on 3/20 and minimal SE.  Was able to do my son's 6th bday on the 22nd.  Have taken about 2hour naps last two days however.

Myra 104, I hear you on the constipation.  What are you taking?  I've just been doing some milk of magnesia, but don't want to stay on it for too long.  Also having some hand swelling and pain, but that started after my last AC.

Sam2U

Great news for the ladies that are finishing--WTG!!!

I started Taxol x 12 last week and had very few side effects until Friday--then bone pain and ovary pain started.  It was awful, but I guess I will take that over the A/C side effects any day.

Carren-LB-at-2-0-clock

Desimone: So sorry to hear about your family. I agree with Myra, that sucks. You have a lot of stuff going to happen in the next little while, please make sure you stay on here with us. This cancer is so invasive, so wide spread. I got a call from the hubbys' aunt about two more with cancer. Stay positive, enjoy each day as much as you can, find something to be happy and grateful for. Me it was when the side effects were not as bad as they could be. Relax, breath, rest, visit LOTS with friends and family, pray.

myra104

that's some great advice Carren!  I especially love my visits with friends and family, distraction:)

Interesting about the brac, Cannot even wrap my head around that one right now.  I have noticed my other breast changing...is it the pet scan that tells you whether there's other cancer or can it miss cancer?  I have trust issues now after being blindsided with such a crappy stage after my mastectomy.

Hey taxol ladies, WE ARE ALMOST THERE!!!!!

belleb

Just finished up my first Taxol...11 to  go! I'm super sleepy because of the Benadryl and came home and took a nap immediately. I struggled with constipation all through A/c (likely from the nausea meds) so I have been on 4 Colace + 1 dose of Miralax daily and it has been great. My doctor said I can stay on that throughout Taxol too, since it tends to cause constipation. I developed a fissure during round 2  of A/c and it still hasn't healed all the way so I can't imagine not having the preventive stool softeners!!

Asb

I agree that cancer seems to be everywhere. My FIL just finished rads for prostate cancer in December, then found out he has colon cancer, he is having surgery tomorrow. They found it when doing pre-op blood work for a hernia and his platelets were low, he refused a transfusion and they started investigating.

I am 10 days out from my last tx, and still feeling crappy. I don't know why this round was so much harder. I need my old energy back. I went back to work anyway, and it was a nice distraction.

Someone on the surgery thread recommended a "white cow" for constipation. Milk of magnesia with a shot of prune juice. A far cry from a White Russian but I bet it does the trick.

katiegrey

Sam2U - I started my first Taxol last Monday and was okay for 1-2 days, then I got the worst bone pain in my legs. I also felt like I was having pain in my ovaries, but thought I was imagining it - had never heard of this before. I agree it's still better than that "poisoned" feeling I got from AC.

Sam2U

Katiegrey--if it is imagination--then we are both imagining it!!  

I'm trying Claritin and L-glutamine this time, I'll let you know how it goes.

tekwriter

I have it too.  I don't know I think this is worse for me.  by the time I begin to feel better it is time to go again.  sigh.  I am up late thursday night and friday with the steroids.  red and shiny face saturday, pain and sleep all day Sunday, most of Monday and Tuesday, then feel a little better on Wednesday and bam back to Thursday.

myra104

tekwriter I'm am feeling the same cycle...last two days I'm doubled over from abdominal cramping, I'm regular so think it's a taxol se...I'm praying I don't have 9 wks if this!!

tekwriter

Well we do have a quarter down I guess we can get through it.

myra104

hang in there!!  We will feel "normal" again!

Xrayalli

I am on Taxol first (AC after) and the abdominal cramping is really bad for me, I have my 3rd infusion tomorrow, yippee skippy!

desimone

Hi CarpeVinum - How are you feeling?  You lived in North Vancouver?  Small world.  Finished my 4 AC treatments and SE were not bad, however I have this cold and it is hard to shake.  I start Taxol On March 31 and I am very nervous as I do know what to expect.

myra104

I'm starting to feel better from cramping, looks like I will have 1 normal day before my Friday taxol...then I will be half way done with chemo...OMG!  

CarpeVinum

Oh wow yes ladies, that cramping is horrendous. I never realized it was from the Taxol  ~ I assumed it was a combo of taking Smooth Move tea and the digestive tract coming back to life after practically shutting down the first few days after chemo. Luckily it doesn't last too long. blaaahhh.

desimone ~ not everyone has those side effects from Taxol. Hopefully yours will be very mild. I found the AC SEs worse than the TC. I also have cold-like symptoms after completing AC. I think it's not actually a cold but lingering effects from the chemo.

I am feeling pretty good. Done with chemo and waiting on a PET scan in a couple of weeks. I am terrified because I've now done 2 regimens of chemo and 10X rads. I've been pretty positive these past 14 months but my stage IV dx hit me like a ton of bricks, completely unexpected. I need some good news!

tekwriter ~ that schedule sounds very difficult. Do you have any good days in there before your next infusion? wow. You'll get through it fast though and it will be done.

yawn....I sat down here with the intention of going WAY BACK in this thread and reading everyone's posts but I am still feeling pretty exhausted so maybe I'll try again tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a great night XO

SmartassSmurf

Hello,

I have been stalking this page for a while but have not posted yet. Reading your posts have been so helpful, thank you for sharing.

I am 42 years old, and was diagnosed with Stage II, Grade III IDC on December 27th. I had lumpectomies on both sides on January 8th & my port put in on January 14th. My surgery went well, but they indicated they were unable to get clean margins as it was too close to my skin on the right side. The left side they say is not cancer, but also not a cyst. I had 2 lymph nodes removed, but only 1 was positive. I am planning to ask more questions about the left side now that I am less overwhelmed.

I started AC for 4 rounds the week after my port was put in, and I finished March 4th. I was supposed to start my first of 12 weeks of Taxol/Herceptin on March 20th, but while the heart & mind were willing, my liver had other plans. The enzymes in my liver were too high, so they sent me home to wait until today to try again. They think it is residual from the AC & things should calm down this week.

I hope so. It was a big blow to me for the setback of a week. I know intellectually it is only a week, but I had my heart set on finishing June 5th. Now it is the 12th (I hope). I am also mad my body is letting me down again.  I am trying to take this all one hurdle at a time, but it is so hard not to look forward to this all being behind me. I see my surgeon again in May to decide what I want to do regarding a potential mastectomy (because of not getting a clean margin). I am starting to think I should have just had everything taken off in the first place.

I had my BRCA 1 & 2 blood test yesterday, so in three weeks I should know the results of that.

Please cross your fingers for me that I can get started on Taxol today...I will never finish if I do not get started.

Thank you all again for sharing your journeys. It is so nice to hear about people going through the same things I am going through.

Curlyq1974

Welcome SmartassSmurf!   This is a great group to link up with. Bunch of very smart women here who are a great support!  Fingers crossed that your blood work comes back good and you can start the Taxol.  I completely understand wanting to be done and having you heart set on a specific date.  It is like moving Christmas - just isn't the same on another day!!!  Best wishes!!!

Carren-LB-at-2-0-clock

Smartasssmu:Do not ever feel that you are alone in any of this. We are here to hear and help you any way that we can. Venting is a great thing and that can be done here. I know how overwhelming it can all be. Gradually, though, it all shifts around, like a jigsaw puzzle, that is slowly being assembled. We gradually get a clearer picture of it all.  You have a plan, a goal which is great. Maintain a positive attitude and research all your options. Take a list of questions with you to each appointment and a second brain (friend or family) to remember things you do not. Take it one step at a time, one day at a time, one procedure at a time. Keep on line here with us. We are here to support and encourage you, commisserate and laugh with you. Carren

Curlyq1974

Chemo round #4 done... 2 to go!  Thank goodness!!  I think that the weather is just wearing on me.  On top of the side effects from chemo.  I just think that being able to sit in the sunshine fighting side effects would be so much better than looking at 30-degree forecasts and snow.  Spring has not sprung in Northeast Ohio.  On the brighter side of things, my Aunt's prophylactic BMX went well and the pathology came back remarkably clear!  HIP HIP Hooray!   My Mom just had her prophylactic BMX and her pathology just came back clear as well!   I sobbed!  I have never been more relieved!  Thank God for not letting my mom have this horrible disease!  She sobbed from guilt that I have the mutation (BRCA 2+) and cancer and she only has the mutation.  Still so relieved and cannot thank God enough!!

Need your ladies opinion - this last round of blood work showed my counts the lowest they have been but still in the normal range.  When my general surgeon and plastic surgeon saw me in the waiting room waiting for Mom's surgery to be done they both yelled at me about being in the hospital how dirty and unsafe it is for me.  I work in a hospital in an administrative area.  Work has granted me approval to work from home when I feel bad.  I don't feel bad per se, but think it is unsafe to be there especially after the doctors yelled at me for being with my Mom at her surgery and my blood counts on the lower end of normal.  I feel guilty not physically going to work and working out of the house.  Thoughts? 

Best wishes to everyone for minimal side effects.  For those of you wrapping up treatment - I AM SO JEALOUS!!!  And so happy for you at the same time!  Prayers that this is the last time we go thru this fun, but grateful to be sharing with such a strong group of women.  You have no idea how much it helps me to read about you all.  Thank you! 

birdlover23

Smurf - welcome!  I am done with A/C and was supposed to start Taxol on 3/26 and be done on 5/7.  I had an allergic reaction to Emend, this caused a domino effect that makes me not allowed to get Taxol.  So, I am getting Abraxane instead.  Even though I started on the same day (yesterday), I will now not be finished until 7/2.  I have to wait two whole extra months, so I definitely understand you not wanting to be pushed back again.  Like everyyone keeps telling us, we'll get through this and will be done soon enough.  Just keep plugging along the best that you can.  I hope you get your chemo today.

So far the Abraxane is sitting pretty well with me.  I am working a few hours today, I never did that the day after A/C.  I even went food shopping this morning before work!  I will rest later today.

Sam2U

CarpeVinum--sending you good vibes for the scans!!

Tek-sending you good vibes for no se days!

Myra--halfway done--we will have good days again

Desimone-Taxol for me has been easier than the AC--I had 4-6days of feeling terrible on AC, not being able to do much of anything, and a full 10 days before back to "normal."  Taxol gives me bone pain and abdominal cramping on days 3 and 4, but pretty much normal the other days, but I have only had 2 treatments.  Everybody reacts differently--hopefully Taxol will be easy on your system.

Xrayalli--hope the infusion goes well and cramping not too bad.

desimone

Hi everyone - kinda depressed this last week.  I guess some of it is to due my sister has been battling ovarian since 2010 - my mom has a tumour in her kidney and it is 90% cancer - dad has heart and lung disease -  am BRAC 2 positive and been thinking of the surgeries I will be having in the next year - plus I have been feeling crappy from this cold I have for 2 weeks - worried about my 1st Taxol treatment on Monday and reoccurrences (drs have said my prognosis is good) reading all of my pathology reports because I have home and not feeling like doing anything.  My husband and son are good but they don't get it.  Sorry just feeling sorry for myself.  I am usually am positive  but right now it is hard to be.

Lisaj514

Desimone- you don't have to be positive all the time. You have so much going on right now that's its overwhelming to say the least. Down days and weeks are normal, realize that. Write down your thoughts here, or in a journal, talk to someone, go,outside and take a deep breath of fresh air, scream, cry. I sometimes hate when people tell me to be positive or when I tell myself to be positive because it sounds so cliché. This is the up hardest thing most of us have ever gone through and you have so much else too. Just be in the moment of how you feel now and accept it. Then move on when you are ready.

Sam2U

{{{hugs}}} desimone--cancer takes so much and it is depressing--I second Lisa--we all go there.

Diamond_lil

Curlyq, don't feel bad for going with your mum or going to work! I am a nursing unit manager on a busy surgical ward and while I no longer do direct patient care I am amongst it all day. I do have days off when required and my director is very supportive. I would go mad if I was just at home everyday! Do what is right for you.

LIL

desimone

I need to stop reading my pathology report. I am freaking out about my Lymphatic Invasion.  Does this significantly increase the cancer coming back?

myra104

des I can only speak for myself but I was obsessed with my reports as they were long and confusing and I had to know everything!  I did eventually cut myself off because the more I researched the more I stressed.  Somewhere in my AC treatments I got sick to the point where I didn't care just want to get through chemo...then I can deal with rads, and so on.  Essss oh kay to have these feelings, beware if they don't get better soon...think it took me a few mths to talk about it and not cry...and I'm married to a wonderful psychologist!  There were many suggestions of antidepressants but I want to feel these feelings so they don't build up and linger.  However I have been to hell and back already in my life so I know my limitations.

Congrats to all who are finishing up chemo!!  We will have a live/hate relationship for a while;)

Carpe praying praying praying for a great PET scan, we are here cheering you on!!